And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me, and fight the LORD’s battles. For Saul said, Let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.
Saul said to David, 'Look, I will give you my older daughter Merab as your wife. Just be brave for me and fight the LORD's battles.' But Saul was thinking to himself, 'I won't kill him with my own hands—I'll let the Philistines do it for me.'
Saul is pretending to honor David by offering his daughter in marriage, but he's secretly hoping David will die in battle against the Philistines.
📚 Historical Context
This takes place after David killed Goliath and became popular with the people, making King Saul jealous and fearful of losing his throne. In ancient Israel, it was common for kings to give their daughters in marriage to seal political alliances or reward military heroes. Saul is using this custom as a trap, hoping David will be killed fighting Israel's enemies, the Philistines.
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